jumps

Font Pairing

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Brown
Quick
Ethic Light Italic
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The
JEN WAGNER Neue Swiss Medium
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Guide
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Font Pairing Guide
Basic Principles
Here are the basic principles I use to pair fonts in my own work. Though, like anything creative,
these concepts can be up for interpretation, they’ll at least help get you started on your font
pairing journey.
Hierarchy
The art of font pairing is in its subtlety — many of us may not realize that fonts are helping us
categorize information by visually representing what is important and what is secondary. That’s
why we use attention-getting fonts for headers, calls to action, quotes, etc. and more simplified
fonts for our subheaders, body copy, etc.
It’s extremely important that the fonts we use together don’t compete; so as a general rule, just
pick one fancy/loud/design-ey font and keep the rest simple. That way, your big important text
grabs attention, and your body copy helps the reader focus on what matters – the copy – instead
of distracting them with the font.
Mood
The style of a font can completely change the tone of a graphic. For example, expensive fonts
don’t make a design look expensive; rather, fonts that visually communicate luxury, quality, etc.
are what set the mood of the design (see a case study I did on this here).
Make sure the fonts you’re using actually match the mood you’re trying to evoke in the observer.
So as a generalization, sans serifs tend to be more friendly and inviting, serifs can be more luxe
and serious, and handwritten scripts are casual and inviting.
Context/Function
One of the biggest typographic mistakes I see in the design world is using a display font for long
paragraphs of text. It is crucial that you keep the function of your fonts in mind. That means display
fonts (think fancy or design-ey, high contrast, etc.) are only to be used for display purposes (big
text like headers, quotes, etc.).
That way, when you set your body copy in a font designed to be used for that purpose, the reader
won’t be so distracted by the font that they totally miss the information being shared (if they can
read it at all).
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 JEN WAGNER
Font Pairing Guide
Contrast/Balance
I always describe the perfect font pair as either a couple (different styles), or siblings
(similar styles).
If you’re using two different syles, you want them to look like a couple that just “belongs
together.” They don’t compete with one another, but rather complement each other.
Neither is too distracting from the other, and they both serve their functions well.
On the other hand, if you’re using two similar styles (i.e. two sans serifs, one for display
and one for body copy), you typically want them to look like siblings. They shouldn’t
look so different that it’s distracting or confusing; rather, they should look like they’re
from the same family, even if they’re not identical.
Ready? Let's explore the pairings!
Versatility
This comes on the more practical end, but if you find a font you’re in love with and it
doesn’t have enough weights/styles to support what you’ll be using it for, it’s a no-go.
So make sure as you’re looking for the right fonts, you’re also keeping its versatility in
mind.
For example, is the font only usable as a display? Or is there a text weight for body
copy? How does it work at different sizes? Does it stay legible as it gets smaller? How
does it read when it’s really big? Making a list of all the places the fonts will be used can
help you form questions to ask as you begin looking for the perfect match.
www.jenwagner.co
 JEN WAGNER

Elegant Ambition WITH A SOFT TOUCH

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

The Quick Brown

Fox Jumps Over
The Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can FONTS IN USE:
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know Ethic Serif
it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another. Neue Swiss
 JEN WAGNER

PUNK Chic
THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG

THE Quick Brown Fox JUMPS

OVER THE Lazy Dog
FONTS IN USE:
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in
Anton Sans
love. It’s emotional. It can be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally
Luxurious Script
sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know it better and better, and the relationship
Barlow Sans
 JEN WAGNER

Classic
Nostalgia
The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

The Quick Brown Fox

Jumps Over
the Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know
FONTS IN USE:
Perfectly Nineties Serif
it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another. Aguafina Script
 JEN WAGNER

THE LOVER Hopelessly Romantic & Eternally Chic

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

THE QUICK BROWN

FOX JUMPS
OVER THE LAZY DOG
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can
FONTS IN USE:
Editor’s Note Serif
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know

it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another.
Essential Sans
Exmouth Script
 JEN WAGNER

FriendlyModern EST 2024 • SAN DIEGO, CA

THE QUICK B ROW N FOX JUMPS OV E R THE LAZY DOG

The Quick Brown Fox

Jumps Over
The Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can
FONTS IN USE:
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know
Bitter
it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another.
Neue Swiss
 JEN WAGNER

Playful Nostalgia MEETS TIMELESS WARMTH

THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG

The Quick Brown Fox

Jumps Over
The Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in FONTS IN USE:
love. It’s emotional. It can be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally Carefree Serif
sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know it better and better, and the relationship Figura Sans
strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another. Editor's Note Text
 JEN WAGNER

Modern
Classic
The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

The Quick Brown

Fox Jumps Over
The Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can FONTS IN USE:
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know Figura Sans
it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another. Pinyon Script
 JEN WAGNER

MOM’S VINTAGE
Sweatshirt
The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

THE QUICK BROWN

FOX JUMPS OVER
The Lazy Dog
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can be
love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know it better
FONTS IN USE:
Sailing Club Serif
and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another. Nautica Script
 JEN WAGNER

Morning
GLOW
THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG

THE QUICK brown fox

JUMPS OVER
THE lazy dog FONTS IN USE:
Great design isn’t just seen, it’s felt. That’s why finding the perfect font really feels like falling in love. It’s emotional. It can
Ethic Serif
be love at first sight, or sometimes it’s an old friend that just finally sparks at the perfect time. And then you get to know
Avanti Script
it better and better, and the relationship strengthens and deepens until you realize you don’t want to reach for another.
Figura Sans
 JEN WAGNER

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